Dungeon Fantasy
The FUDGE Powered Fantasy RPG
One this site, I will be publishing the chapters of Dungeon Fantasy (as I get them done). I would appreciate any feedback that you want to give me on this material. You can e-mail me at celtic@mindspring.com Thanks for having a look!
ABOUT FUDGE
Fudge is a role-playing game written by Steffan O'Sullivan with extensive input from the Usenet community of rec.games.design. The basic rules of Fudge are available on the internet via anonymous ftp at ftp.csua.berkeley.edu, and in book form or on disk from Grey Ghost Press, Inc., P.O. Box 838, Randolph, MA 02368. They may be used with any gaming genre. While an individual work derived from Fudge may specify certain attributes and skills, many more are possible with Fudge. Every Game Master using Fudge is encouraged to add or ignore any character traits. Anyone who wishes to distribute such material for free may do so; merely include this ABOUT FUDGE notice and disclaimer (complete with Fudge copyright notice). If you wish to charge a fee for such material, other than as an article in a magazine or other periodical, you must first obtain a royalty-free license from the author of Fudge, Steffan O'Sullivan, P.O. Box 465, Plymouth, NH 03264.
DISCLAIMER
The following materials based on Fudge, entitled Dungeon Fantasy, are created by Anthony Roberson and made available by ALS Design Group, Inc., and are not authorized or endorsed in any way by Steffan O'Sullivan or any publisher of other Fudge materials. Neither Steffan O'Sullivan or any publisher of other Fudge material is in any way responsible for the content of these materials. Original Fudge materials (c)Copyright 1992-1995 Steffan O'Sullivan, All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 2: Character Creation
The following is a guide to creating a Dungeon Fantasy character. The character creation process is divided into a series of five steps. Just follow along and you will have a hero ready for adventure in no time at all.
Step One - Character Concept and Background
Your first task is to pick your character concept. Is he a veteran warrior? Has he spent his life thus far studying dusty tomes of magic? Is he an impetuous youth that has grown up on the streets and lived by his wits?
Another important part of your character concept is deciding on your character's race. The 'norm' of the world is the human race. The other races have benefits and drawbacks that must be taken to play that race.
One way to quickly build a character is to pick a Character Template. Templates include a focused selection of Gifts, Faults and Skills to reflect a particular background or profession. To create a character with a template, simply pick one and you are ready to go.
See Chapter 3: Non-Human Races and Character Templates for detailed information on both Races and Templates.
Your final task is to flesh out your character's background. Where did he come from? What are his likes and dislikes? How does he dress? You can reinforce some of these choices when you pick your Gifts and Faults.
Example: Tony sits down to make his first Dungeon Fantasy character. He decides that his character, who he names Javen, grew up on the streets of a large city. Javen made his living as a pickpocket and sneak thief until a Sorcerer befriended him. Javen apprenticed to the Sorcerer for several years and picked up a smattering of magic skills.
Step Two - Assign Attributes
Your Character has six attributes. Attributes represent the level of a character's raw physical and mental abilities.
Intelligence determines mental capacity
Perception determines observational ability
Willpower determines mental stamina
Strength determines raw physical power
Agility determines athletic ability
Health determines the ability to withstand physical damage
All attributes start with a level of Fair. You have three free attribute levels that may be used to raise one attribute by three levels or two attributes by one level and another by two levels or three attributes by one level.
You may also lower an attribute by one level in order to raise another attribute by one level. You may not lower your attributes by a total of more than four levels in this fashion.
Finally, you may trade one or both of your free Gifts (see Step 3 - Pick Gifts and Faults) in order to raise your attributes a corresponding number of levels and conversely you may trade your free attribute levels for Gifts in the same manner.
Example: Tony decides that Javen should be pretty smart in order to cast spells and so he assigns one level to Intelligence. He assigns the other two levels to Agility to reinforce his background as a thief.
Step Three - Pick Gifts and Faults
Gifts and Faults represent talents, extraordinary attributes, bad habits, character flaws and a wide variety of other advantages and disadvantages that your character may have. They also serve as an excellent tool to reinforce your character concept.
Gifts
You start with two free Gifts. You may take one additional Gift beyond the first two for each additional Fault that you also choose.
Example: Tony gives Javen one level of Magery so he can cast some minor magic and also gives him a level of Luck to help him escape those sticky situations he might get into.
Gift Descriptions
Absolute Direction: You never get lost.
Alertness: You notice things that others seem to miss.
Animal Empathy: You can make friends with almost any normal creature.
Ambidexterity: You perform actions equally well with either hand.
Appearance (good): You are very physically attractive.
Charisma: You have a personality that almost everyone likes.
Combat Sense: You are rarely surprised. You get +1 to your Perception on any surprise rolls.
Common Sense: You rarely do anything too stupid. Your GM should give you fair warning before you try anything that he considers particularly ignorant.
Contacts: You know someone in a position of power or someone that can provide you with valuable information.
Danger Sense: You have a 'sixth sense' when it comings to danger. The GM should allow you to make a Perception roll when danger is imminent. You get the feeling that 'something is wrong' on a Good or better result.
Familiar (mages only): You have a familiar. It is normally a small non-monstrous animal like a cat or owl. You have a mystical connection to your familiar. The details of this connection are up to your GM, but you might be able to see through its eyes or communicate with it telepathically, etc.
Favors owed: Someone or some group owes you a favor.
Luck: You may reroll one bad dice roll per play session for each level of this gift that you possess.
Magery: You can cast spells. Each level of Magery provides five points of mana.
Memory (good): You remember details that most forget.
Pain Tolerance: You have no penalties when you are Hurt and are only at -1 when you are Very Hurt.
Patron: You have a friend or friends in high places.
Rapid Healing: You heal twice at twice the normal rate.
Reputation (good): You are well known and well liked.
Resistance to Disease: You are unusually resistant to normal diseases. You are at +1 Health when making rolls to resist disease.
Resistance to Magic: You make Willpower rolls to resist hostile magic at +1.
Resistance to Poison: You are unusually resistant to poisons. You are at +1 Health when making rolls to resist disease.
Social Status (high): You are a member of an important social class like the nobility or landed gentry.
Toughness: Your skin is so tough it acts like armor. Subtract -1 to any wound that you take. Your GM may limit this Gift to certain non-human races.
Wealth: You start with twice the regular amount of money and equipment.
Faults
You must choose two mandatory starting Faults. You must also choose one additional Fault to balance out any additional gifts that you have chosen.
Example: Tony decides Javen cannot pass up a chance at a gold piece since he has spent so much of his youth in poverty and so he gives him Greed as a fault. He also gives him Recklessness to reflect his attitude in dangerous situations.
Fault Descriptions
Absent-Mindedness: You are always forgetting things.
Addiction: You are addicted to some substance like alcohol.
Age (old/young): You are very old or young.
Appearance (bad): You are extremely unattractive.
Code of Honor: You are bound by some personal code. The code must be detailed and restrictive enough to meet your GM's approval.
Compulsion: You have some compulsion that is hard to resist. You are at -3 Willpower to resist this compulsion. Sample compulsions include hand washing, gambling, lying, etc.
Cowardice: You are very reluctant to put yourself in a dangerous situation.
Duty: You have a duty that you must perform for a certain amount of time. Examples of duties include serving as a lay priest in a temple one day a week or serving in the king's militia for two weeks a year.
Fanatic Patriotism: You are extremely loyal to your country.
Gluttony: You never miss a meal.
Greed: You cannot pass up the chance to earn an extra shilling.
Grouchiness: You are always in a bad mood and ready to let everyone else know it.
Gullibility: You usually believe what others tell you. You are at -3 Intelligence to resist Lies or Persuasion.
Hearing (bad): You are very hard of hearing. You are at -1 to your Perception rolls in situations such as when someone is sneaking up behind you.
Honesty: You really hate to break the law.
Impulsiveness: You are always acting without thinking about it first.
Intolerance: You cultivate an extreme dislike for some group. Examples include dwarves, mages, rich people, etc.
Lame: You have a bad limp. You cannot run.
Laziness: You avoid work at all cost.
Lechery: You spend far too much of your time pursuing the appropriate sex.
Memory (bad): You are always forgetting things
Miserliness: You hate to part with even a single copper. You would get along quite well with Mr. Scrooge.
Mute: You cannot speak.
Night Blindness: You have a hard time seeing at night or in darkened areas. Your Perception and many skills are at -3 in any low-light situations.
Obesity: You are extremely overweight.
Obsession: You are obsessed with some person or thing.
Odious Personal Habits: You have some trait or habit that most find offensive.
Offensive Odor: You smell really bad. You are at -3 to your Reaction rolls in most situations.
One Arm: You are missing an arm. This makes it kind of hard to use a bow or polearm.
One Eye: You have very poor depth perception. You are at -3 to your attack rolls with missile weapons.
Outlaw: You are a wanted man.
Overconfidence: You have a high opinion of your abilities.
Owes favors: You owe someone favors that they will eventually call in.
Pacifism: You are against violence. You will only fight to defend yourself if you are in fear for your life.
Pain Intolerance: You have increased penalties for wounds. You are at -1 when Scratched, -2 when Hurt and -3 when Very Hurt.
Phobia: You have a phobia of some thing or situation. You must make a Willpower roll at -3 to avoid fleeing or breaking down when you are faced with your phobia.
Poverty: You start with half the normal amount of money and items
Primitiveness: You come from an area or culture that is technologically inferior. You are uncomfortable with technologically superior items.
Pride: You find that most things and people are beneath your dignity.
Quick-Temper: You get mad very easily.
Recklessness: You rush in where others fear to tread.
Reputation (bad): You are very well known and very disliked.
Social Status (low): Your racial or ethnic group has an extremely poor reputation in the community as a whole.
Stubbornness: You hate to admit that you are wrong or that there is a better position than the one you have taken.
Susceptibility to Disease: You are at -1 to your Health rolls to resist disease.
Susceptibility to Magic: You are at -1 to your Willpower rolls to resist hostile magic.
Susceptibility to Poison: You are at -1 to your Health rolls to resist disease.
Tactlessness: You are always blurting out exactly what you think.
Truthfulness: You cannot tell a lie.
Unluck: You have terrible luck. Once per play session for each level of this Fault that you take, your GM can force you to re-roll one successful dice roll.
Vanity: You are extremely proud of your appearance. You get offended if anyone makes a disparaging remark about your obvious good looks.
Vow: You have a commitment to some person, group or thing.
Step Four - Choose Skills
The step of character creation that usually takes the longest and is arguably the most important is skill selection. Your character's skills represent the areas that he is most adept at or well trained in.
Skills are divided into skill groups. You spend one or more levels in a skill group to pick skills from within the group. You start with 40 levels to spend on skills. Most skills start with a default level of Poor. A few skills start with no default level and you must spend a level to bring them up to Terrible. Some skills also have other skills as prerequisites. These skills have the prerequisite skill in parentheses next to the skill name. You must have a skill level in the prerequisite skill of at least Fair in order to take more than one level in the skill. You may start with a maximum of one skill of Superb level and two skills of Great level.
Skill Descriptions
The following is a list of the individual skill groups and the skills they contain with descriptions for each skill.
Athletic Skills
Climbing: The ability to skillfully climb natural or man-made structures. This skill may also include the ability to use ropes or other devices to aid climbing.
Jumping: The ability to accurately and skillfully jump from point to point. This skill also includes the ability to judge the chance of jumping a certain distance.
Riding: The ability to ride a specific animal (usually a horse).
Running: The ability to run for long distances with little or no rest like a marathon runner. Alternately, this can be the ability to run swiftly for short distances like a sprinter.
Swimming: The ability to swim and avoid drowning.
Throwing: The ability to throw accurately and for distance. This is not specifically a combat skill, but could be used to throw some aerodynamic object like a rock for damage.
Combat Skills
Axe, one-handed: The ability to use a one-handed axe.
Axe, two-handed: The ability to use a two-handed axe such as a battle-axe.
Bow: The ability to use a bow such us a short bow, long bow or self bow.
Brawling: The ability to fight barehanded.
Club: The ability to use any light bashing weapon like a truncheon or club.
Crossbow: The ability to use a light or heavy crossbow.
Dagger: The ability to use a knife or dagger.
Knife: thrown: The ability to accurately throw a balanced knife, dart or similar weapon.
Lance: The ability to use a lance from horseback.
Mace: The ability to use a mace or similar heavy bashing weapon.
Polearm: The ability to use one of a variety of polearms such as a halberd or poleaxe.
Quarterstaff: The ability to use a staff or similar two-handed bashing weapon.
Shield: The ability to effectively use a shield of a particular size. Shields are normally broken down into small parrying shields, medium-sized wooden or hide shields and large bulky tower shields
Sling: The ability to effectively use a simple sling.
Spear: The ability to use a thrusting spear.
Spear, thrown: The ability to accurately throw a balanced throwing spear.
Sword, one-handed: The ability to use a one-handed sword such as a short sword or long sword.
Sword, two-handed: The ability to use a large two-handed sword.
Tactics: The ability to manage a small group of fighters in a combat situation.
Craft Skills
Armory: The ability to make and repair metal armors.
Basketry: The ability to construct baskets from woven materials.
Smithy: The ability to make and repair metal items such as weapons, tools, horseshoes, etc.
Bowyery/Fletching: The ability to construct bows and arrows. This skill also includes the ability to locate, identify and prepare the proper woods for construction.
Carpentry: The ability to construct and repair any of a variety of wooden items.
Cooking: The ability to skillfully prepare food.
Jewelry: The ability to make, repair and evaluate jewelry and gemstones.
Leatherworking: The ability to make and repair items from leather including leather armor. This skill also includes the ability to tan and prepare animal hides for use.
Masonry: The ability to work with and construct items of stone.
Pottery: The ability to construct vessels from clay. This skill also includes the ability to locate and prepare suitable clay for pot making.
Tailoring: The ability to construct items from cloth.
Weaving: The ability to weave plant or animal material into cloth.
Knowledge Skills
Area Knowledge: Knowledge of a particular geographic area. The smaller the area, the more detailed the knowledge will be.
Astrology: The ability to 'read' the stars. Even the civilized peoples of the Western Kingdoms see what goes on in the heavens as a reflection of what is or will happen in the world below.
Botany: The ability to identify general categories of plants and their properties.
Evaluate Item: The ability to place a general value on an item. A related skill such as Jewelry can increase the accuracy of the evaluation.
Geography: Knowledge of the characteristics of various geographic features.
Healing: The ability to cure disease, treat wounds and render comfort using herbs and medicinal plants.
History: Knowledge of people, places and events in the past.
Language (each is a separate skill): The ability to understand and speak a foreign or non-human language. Some languages may be harder to learn than others and the GM may set the default accordingly.
Literacy: The ability to read and write.
Lore (various): Knowledge of a variety of topics. Examples include Arcane Lore, Woods Lore, Demon Lore and Elven Lore.
Theology: Knowledge of a particular religion's beliefs, rituals and mythology.
Weather Sense: The ability to accurately predict the weather for the near future.
Magic Skills
See Chapter 4: Magic
Rogue Skills
Disguise: The ability to camouflage your identity and/or pass as someone else. This skill also includes the ability to make use of makeup, wigs and other devices.
Move Quietly: The ability to move stealthily and silently.
Pick Lock: The ability to open a lock or similar device without the correct key.
Pick Pocket: The ability to take a relatively small item from someone's person without their notice.
Shadowing: The ability to follow someone without their notice.
Traps: The ability to disarm and set mechanical traps.
Rural Skills
Animal Husbandry: The ability to care for and handle domestic animals.
Boating: The ability to pilot small watercraft.
Camping: The ability to set up a wilderness encampment.
Farming: The ability to plant, raise and harvest crops.
Fishing: The ability to catch, clean and preserve fish. This skill includes the ability to use and repair nets and other fishing equipment.
Hunting: The ability to locate and harvest animals in the wild. This skill also includes the ability to slaughter and preserve the carcass.
Navigation: The ability to find your way from point to point using stars, geographic features, a map or some other method.
Survival (various): The ability to survive in a specific environment with minimal tools and equipment. Examples include Arctic Survival, Jungle Survival, Desert Survival, etc.
Tracking: The ability to follow a creature based on their tracks or other traces.
Social Skills
Etiquette: This is the ability to use the proper manners when in social situations.
Interrogate: The ability to extract information from someone using physical or psychological methods.
Intimidate: The ability to force someone to do your will based on physical presence or threats.
Lie: This is the ability to tell a convincing untruth.
Negotiate: The ability to skillfully engage in diplomatic negotiations.
Performance: The ability to act in a play or similar performance.
Storytelling: The ability to tell entertaining stories.
Urban Skills
Fast-Talk: The ability to convince someone of something for a short period of time.
Gambling: The knowledge and ability to play games of skill and chance.
Haggle: The ability to get the best price in a business transaction.
Streetwise: The ability to survive on the 'mean streets' of a large city.
Step 5 - Pick Equipment
You may choose any reasonable amount of starting equipment for your character. What reasonable actually means is subject to the discretion of your GM, but here are some guidelines.
You may choose a regular quality weapon for each weapon skill in which you have at least a Fair skill level.
If your character background is consistent with that of a professional Warrior, you may choose a full set of whatever armor your GM rules is consistent with that profession.
You may start with hand tools to perform any Craft skill in which you have at least a Fair skill level.
You may start with enough money to support yourself at a moderate level of comfort for one month. This works out to about 150 silver shillings in the Western Kingdoms.
Money
The standard unit of exchange in the Western Kingdoms is the silver shilling. Also in wide distribution are the copper penny and the gold crown. A variety of other coins are also in circulation. The following table lists the relative value of the three common coins:
1 gold crown (gc) = 5 silver shillings (ss)
1 silver shilling = 12 copper pennies (cp)
Chapter 3: Non-Human Races and Character Templates
Non-Human Races
The Western Kingdoms are home to a variety of non-human races and cultures. Many races are very uncommon and rarely seen in human-dominated areas. Each race has its own advantages and disadvantages and these are represented with Supernormal Powers, Scale, Racial Bonuses and Penalties, Gifts and Faults.
Supernormal Powers
Many non-human races have abilities that are beyond the capabilities of normal humans. These Supernormal Powers can represent anything from a sprite's ability to fly to an elf's extraordinarily long life span. Supernormal Powers are outlined in each race's description.
Scale
One thing that sets many non-human races apart from humans is the fact that they have a Strength, Mass and/or Speed that falls outside normal human boundaries. These attributes are represented with the term Scale.
Scale normally refers to Strength and Mass. Each level is roughly 1.5 times the previously level.
Example: A Scale +2 Good Strength Half-Ogre is roughly 2.25 times (1.5 X 1.5) as strong and massive as a Scale 0 Good Strength human.
Scale can also represent Mass alone as with the case of a Dwarf. Creatures with a Scale greater than 0 can inflict and/or withstand more damage in combat. See Chapter 5: Action Resolution and Combat for details.
Scale can also be used to represent Speed. A Merman may have +4 Speed Scale while swimming or a Werewolf might have +2 Speed Scale while running in Wolf form. Each level of Speed Scale is roughly 1.2 times the previous level.
Racial Bonuses and Penalties
Some races also have attributes other than Strength, Mass and Scale that deviate from the human average. These differences are represented by simple bonuses and/or penalties i.e. Half-Ogres are Intelligence -2 since most are rather dim-witted in comparison to the average human.
Dwarf
Dwarves typically stand from 4'0" to 4'6". They have a higher body density than humans, however, and their weight ranges from 150 to 220 lbs. Most are dark-haired and brown-eyed. The members of some tribes, however, have lighter hair and blue or green eyes. Dwarves are universally bearded and most keep their hair long and braided.
Dwarves are tribal and most live in one of the great underhalls that are dug in the mountains of the Western Kingdoms. A significant number are merchants and craftsman, however, ranging far from their homes and taking up residence in human cities.
Dwarves are famous for their gruff nature.
Supernormal Powers:
Dwarf (Mass Scale +1, Speed Scale -1) - A Dwarf's short stature means they are unable to use most armors scaled for humans or two-handed human weapons.
Dark Vision - Dwarfs can see underground or in a darkened room. This ability works on the heat difference between objects and so it would not allow a Dwarf to read in total darkness or to see an undead creature in an unlit tomb.
Long Life Span - Dwarfs typically reach adulthood at the age of 50 and are not considered old until at least the age of 150.
Magic Inability - The Dwarf mind seems unable to form the templates necessary for spell casting and so they are unable to take Magery as a Gift in order to use Formal Magic.
Gifts: None.
Faults: Typical Faults include Greed, Grouchiness, Miserliness and Tactlessness.
Racial Bonuses and Penalties: None.
Elf
Elves are shorter than the average human. They typically range from 5'0" to 5'6" in height and weigh from 80 to 130 lbs. The are typically fair-haired and their eye color ranges from blue to hazel. Their ears are pointed and facial features are thin and aquiline.
The elves of the Western Kingdoms live mostly in one of the two great forests located east of the Broken Mountains. They have little contact with outsiders and very little contact with humans in particular.
Part of the reason for this is the fact that they are almost universally disliked and feared in human societies because of long standing stories and myths about elves stealing human babies and murdering those that trespass in their woodlands.
Another reason for lack of contact is the fact that most elves are unusually susceptible to human disease. Whole tree villages have been wiped out after a single human traveler passed through.
Supernormal Powers:
Elf - Elves are at -3 Reaction when dealing with most civilized humans.
Long Life Span - Elves typically reach adulthood at the age of 75 and are not considered old until at least the age of 200.
Night Vision - Elves can see very well at night using only the light of stars or the moon. This ability does not allow them to see in a dark room or underground.
Gifts: Typical Gifts include Magery.
Faults: Susceptibility to Disease. Other typical Faults include Pride and Vanity.
Racial Bonuses and Penalties: None.
Half-Ogre
Half-Ogres are much larger than the average human. Most stand between 8'0'' and 9'0" tall and weigh anywhere from 350 to 500 lbs. Most are dark-skinned. Their hair is typically greasy brown or black and their eyes are normally brown. A few individuals are blue-eyed and their culture sees this as a sign of divine blessing.
Half-Ogres are a comparatively rare race in comparison to most others. They are normally the result of the union between an ogre and some other race. Most cannot successfully produce offspring. Because of their heritage, they typically have a poor social status. Many half-ogres end up as manual laborers or sometimes even as slaves. Half-Ogres are usually not very intelligent and most are downright dim-witted.
Supernormal Powers:
Half-Ogre (Strength/Mass Scale +2).
Gifts: None.
Faults: Typically include Primitiveness and Social Status (low).
Racial Bonuses and Penalties: Intelligence -2.
Character Templates
Character Templates are pregenerated characters that you can select and play. They also serve as examples of character creation. You should remember, however, not to feel restricted by them. If you want your Veteran Fighter to have Lame as a Fault instead of Fanatic Patriot, then change it!
Sneak Thief
You live and survive on the streets of a big city like Falls Landing. You specialize in 'second story' work, climbing into the open windows of second story buildings and stealing the contents. You are always trying to keep one step ahead of the authorities.
Attributes: (3 free levels)
| Intelligence: | Fair |
| Perception: | Good |
| Willpower: | Fair |
| Strength: | Fair |
| Agility: | Great |
| Health: | Fair |
Gifts: (2 Free)
Contacts and Danger Sense
Faults: (2 Mandatory)
Outlaw and Social Status (low)
Skills: (40 Levels)
| Dagger | Good |
| Knife, thrown | Great |
| Climbing | Great |
| Disguise | Fair |
| Evaluate Item | Fair |
| Fast-talk | Good |
| Haggle | Good |
| Jumping | Good |
| Move Quietly | Good |
| Pick Pocket | Good |
| Running | Good |
| Streetwise | Good |
Equipment
Dagger
Throwing Knife (2)
50' of silk rope
Cloth Sack (2)
Veteran Soldier
You have fought in dozens of battles. You have survived by skill and perhaps a little luck. You are well equipped with arms and armor. You live by your own credo based on honorable conduct and you are fanatically proud of the lands that you have fought for.
Attributes: (3 free levels)
| Intelligence: | Fair |
| Perception: | Fair |
| Willpower: | Fair |
| Strength: | Good |
| Agility: | Good |
| Health: | Good |
Gifts: (2 Free)
Combat Sense and Luck
Faults: (2 Mandatory)
Code of Honor and Fanatic Patriot
Skills: (40 Levels)
| Axe, one-handed | Good |
| Bow | Good |
| Brawling | Good |
| Shield | Great |
| Sword, one-handed | Great |
| Animal Handling | Fair |
| Armoury | Good |
| Cooking | Fair |
| Hunting | Fair |
| Navigation | Fair |
| Riding | Good |
| Survival | Fair |
| Tactics | Good |
| Tracking | Good |
Equipment:
Bow
Chainmail shirt and helm
One-handed Sword or Axe
Shield
Riding Horse